GG Freightways (GGFRT) IT Decision Paper Assignment
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “GG Freightways Case Study,” any feedback on your proposed IT project from your ITSP Part 2 assignment, and the previously assigned course materials.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to develop an IT Decision Paper to explain and defend an IT project at GG Freightways (GGFRT). This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
• Apply best practices in information technology management and governance to make, defend, and justify an IT decision.
IT Decision Paper for Your Proposed IT Project
For your ITSP, Part 2, you proposed an IT project for GGFRT. Lance, the CIO at GGFRT, has asked you to write an IT Decision Paper to explain your proposed project. He wants to use the Paper to gain approval from the Governance Board to move forward with the project. This assignment uses a format for a Decision Paper that has been tailored to the course material covered in this class. You may work for an organization that has a format for IT decision papers, and it would be a good idea for you to look at it, but it will likely be structured a little differently from this one. Each organization develops tools and techniques that will work for them.
Assignment
You will develop an IT Decision Paper, using the outline below. Each of the topics to be included in your outline is covered in the course content readings assigned thus far. In addition to the course materials, at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in the class) must be used. Two or more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just the references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything.
Please use this outline to build your IT Decision Paper. Use the numbering and headings shown below.
1. Project Description – In two or three sentences:
(1) describe the IT project you proposed for GGFRT in Part 2 of your ITSP.
(2) Describe what major function(s) the system would perform and who would use it. (Do not provide a technical description with hardware, software, etc.)
2. Strategic Alignment – In a short paragraph:
(1) explain how the proposed project aligns to the business strategic objectives in Part 1 of your ITSP, and,
(2) explain how the proposed project aligns to the IT strategies in Part 2 of your ITSP.
Your proposed project must be aligned directly with at least one business strategic objective and one IT strategy shown in your ITSP.
3. IT Portfolio Roadmap Alignment – In a paragraph:
(1) Briefly explain where this project fits into the IT Portfolio Roadmap you included in Part 2 of your ITSP.
(2) What functional area does it support?
(3) Where should it be included in the timeline – i.e., should it take priority or be done before another project in the IT Portfolio (with justification)
4. IT Architecture – In a short paragraph:
(1) Briefly explain how this project fits in with other systems in place or in development at GGFRT.
(2) Explain whether it should interface with (share data of any kind with) other systems either in place or in development, what information is being shared, and its purpose.
(3) Explain whether it replaces another system or multiple systems in use at GGFRT.
Refer to the Inventory of Current IT Projects in Part 1 of your ITSP and the IT Portfolio in Part 2 of your ITSP.
5. Benefits: Describe at a high level three (3) benefits the project provides to GGFRT. The benefits should correspond to the business strategies and the strategic alignment discussed in section 2 above. State the Business Strategic Objective. Then, discuss this relationship/alignment for each benefit to the Business Strategic Objective. Refer to course content readings from Week 4 on Value Attainment. External research may also be beneficial. Benefits of the solution should not be accomplishment of business strategic objectives nor accomplishment of IT strategies.
